


Something Is Down There

by dsa_archivist



Category: due South
Genre: Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-04-15
Updated: 1999-04-15
Packaged: 2018-11-11 01:54:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11138862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsa_archivist/pseuds/dsa_archivist
Summary: Ben and Ray become involved in a disturbing case.





	Something Is Down There

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Speranza, the archivist: this story was once archived at [Due South Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Due_South_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Due South Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/duesoutharchive).

SOMETHING  
IS DOWN THERE
    
    
    This
    is considerably darker than anything I've written yet.  There aren't
    any graphic descriptions of violence, and no sexual content at all, but
    it's unmistakably an adult story.  You have been warned -- there are
    some icky parts in this one.
    

# SOMETHING IS DOWN THERE
    
    
    by Katrina Bowen
    
    "Excuse me -- please, I need your help."
    
    Benton Fraser caught himself just as he was opening his apartment door.
    He turned to face an elderly woman, white-haired, wearing a cardigan
    neatly buttoned over a dress with a small floral print.  Automatically
    he said, "Of course, ma'am.  How may I be of assistance?"  Diefenbaker
    sat down and waited patiently.
    
    The woman's hands were clasped calmly in front of her and her face was
    serene.  Her agitation was betrayed only by her red-rimmed eyes.  She
    paused for a moment before she spoke, as if to make sure of her voice.
    "Mr. Mustafi told me that you help people sometimes, and I ...  I do
    need help."
    
    "Would you care to come inside?" Ben asked gently.  The woman nodded
    and silently entered the apartment.  Ben held out one of the chairs by
    the kitchen table for her, and she sat carefully, placing her purse on
    the floor next to her.  "Would you like me to fix you a cup of tea?"
    She mutely shook her head; Ben pulled out a chair and sat down next to
    her, waiting for her to speak.
    
    After pausing to gather her thoughts, she began to talk.  "My name is
    Annabelle Meyers.  I live across the street with my grandson, Alex."
    She closed her eyes briefly.  Opening them, she continued, "Alex hasn't
    been home for two days, and I'm afraid something terrible has happened
    to him."  Her voice, steady enough when she began speaking, ended on
    a quaver.
    
    Ben nodded.  "How old is Alex?  Has he ever done anything like this before?"
    
    "He'll be seventeen in July.  And I know what you're probably thinking,
    but he wouldn't have run away," Mrs. Meyers said firmly.  "Alex isn't
    like that. He gets good grades -- he's avoided gangs all his life --
    he has an after- school job --" her voice started to rise.  Ben reached
    out to cover her fragile, blue-veined hand with his own, and she made
    an effort to calm herself.  "I've called all his friends, and no one
    knows where he is.  His boyfriend doesn't know, either.  Even if he'd
    leave without telling me, he wouldn't go anywhere and not tell Mark."
    
    "It definitely sounds as if you have reason to suspect something has
    happened to him."
    
    "There's something I haven't told you yet.  There are ... rumors."  Mrs.
    Meyers looked into Ben's eyes.  "People are saying that there have been
    a lot of disappearances in the past week or so, and that -- that bodies
    have been found."
    
    "Yes.  I've heard something about that."  In fact, the last time he'd
    seen Ray, the detective had told him about the disturbing increase in
    the number of missing person's reports.  Even at the consulate, people
    were talking about it.  "Ma'am, have you gone to the police yet?  This
    is something they should know about."
    
    Mrs. Meyers shook her head distractedly.  "I called them the night Alex
    didn't come home, but it didn't do any good.  They only told me someone
    has to be gone for more than forty-eight hours before they can do anything."
    
    "Well, if he's been gone for more than two days, it's time to take official
    action."  He stood and helped Mrs. Meyers to her feet.  "I have a friend
    on the police force -- I'm sure he'll be glad to help."
    
    ********************************************************************************
    
    Ben looked at Ray with concern.  After leaving Mrs. Meyers with Elaine,
    who was helping her fill out the appropriate forms, he'd arranged transportation
    home for the old woman and gone in search of his friend. He finally found
    him in the evidence room, angrily sorting through piles of folders. 
    Ray hadn't even looked up; he'd only said, "Fraser, do me a favor.  Just
    please, please tell me *you're* not reporting someone missing, too. 
    That's all I ask."  Ben's silence gave him the answer he didn't want
    to hear.  Sighing, he sat down at the table and rested his head in his
    hands.
    
    A few moments passed.  Ben sat down silently next to Ray, and waited
    for him to either look up or to say something.  When he didn't, Ben softly
    asked, "How many people *are* missing?"  Diefenbaker seated himself next
    to Ray, who absently reached down one hand to scratch the wolf's ears.
    
    "That's not the problem.  The problem is the ones we've found."  Ray's
    voice was muffled and exhausted.  He looked up at the Mountie, his face
    drawn.  "Eleven bodies have been found in the past four days.  According
    to forensics, all of them died by electrocution.  All of them were mutilated
    after death.  The most recent ones have all been dismembered."  Ray stared
    into space for a few seconds, then brought his gaze back to Ben's shocked
    face.  "People are starting to panic, Benny.  Mackenzie King was here
    this afternoon -- she warned me that one of the tabloids is claiming
    there's some kind of sewer monster dragging people down there and killing
    them."
    
    Ben blinked in surprise.  "Did you say sewer monster?" he repeated incredulously.
    
    Ray shrugged.  "Word on the street is, all the bodies have been found
    near entrances to the city's sewer system.  Look at the map on the wall
    -- the black pins are where we've found bodies."
    
    "And what do you think?" Ben asked as he walked over to the map.  Ray
    was right -- all of the pins were within a block or so of access sites
    to the sewers.
    
    "I *think* there's some maniac killing people in my city, Benny, and
    he's probably hiding out in the sewers.  That's what I think, and that's
    all I care about.  We haven't ID'd many of the victims, but a couple
    were last seen in the same area, by the lakefront."  Ray rose and joined
    Ben in front of the map.  "Welsh wanted to send a team down there --
    more to disprove the rumors than because he believes them.  But the brass
    said that would make people think we really were worried about some sort
    of monster under the city."
    
    "And they're actually willing to put appearances above the public's safety?"
    Ben  asked in disbelief.  "People are going to keep on dying, for God's
    sake!"
    
    "This is Chicago.  What else is new?  They'll hide their heads in the
    sand as long as they can.  When it gets too bad to ignore, they'll look
    for someone to blame."  Ray was trying for a cynical tone, but he only
    managed to sound depressed.
    
    Ben hesitated; he took out a picture of Alex that Mrs. Meyers had given
    him and passed it to Ray.  "This is the young man I'm trying to find,
    Alex Meyers.  Is there any way of telling whether his was one of the
    bodies that was found?"
    
    Ray looked at the picture sadly.  "I really don't know if this is going
    to be any help, Benny.  Most of the guys we've found ... there wasn't
    a whole lot left of them to identify.  But I'll find someone to fax it
    over to the morgue. They're starting to check dental records for the
    bodies that still have their heads."  Ben's blue eyes clouded with dismay,
    and Ray said simply, "This is real ugly, Benny.  I'm sorry.  There's
    no way I can make jokes or try to pretend that it isn't."
    
    "I understand, Ray.  According to his grandmother, Alex was gay.  Is
    there any indication that these might be hate crimes?"
    
    Ray shook his head.  "Not according to what we have so far.  No one's
    found anything linking any of the victims."
    
    Ben looked his friend steadily in the eyes.  "I think we both know what
    we have to do."
    
    For a change, Ray knew exactly what Ben was talking about.  He nodded
    reluctantly and said, "Yeah, I guess we do.  Someone's gotta go down
    and check out the sewers.  Might as well be us, right?"  He smiled weakly.
    "And you know how much I *love* going down into sewers with you.  Makes
    me wonder what I did for fun before you came to Chicago. Come on -- I'm
    not even supposed to be on duty tonight, so let's get it over with now."
    
    ********************************************************************************
    
    "Well, that's it.  It's official."  Ray swiped ineffectually at another
    dark, damp stain on his coat.  "My life now completely sucks."  Grumbling
    to himself, he leaned gingerly against the wall, using his flashlight
    to examine the map of the sewer system Elaine had found for him.
    
    Ben didn't reply, but he was grateful Ray had finally rallied enough
    to worry about his wardrobe.  He wasn't used to seeing his friend so
    serious, but after their stop by the morgue, they'd both been profoundly
    shaken.  Another body had been found -- or, more precisely, portions
    of one.  Ben took what comfort he could in the knowledge that so far,
    none of the bodies fit Alex's general description.  Even Diefenbaker,
    normally as calm as only a wolf can be, was tense and agitated.
    
    They'd been down in the sewers for over an hour.  None of them had spotted
    anything significant; by now, Ray was just trailing behind Dief and Ben
    as they followed their instincts.  Just as Ben was deciding there would
    be no point in any further searching that night, however, something caught
    Dief's attention.  The wolf stared into a patch of shadows, growling
    and bristling.
    
    Ben went over immediately to kneel beside the wolf, Ray following a little
    more cautiously.  Shining his flashlight into the darkness, Ben looked
    up at Ray wordlessly.  A hole had been knocked into the wall of the sewer,
    revealing a passageway.
    
    Ray consulted the map and shook his head.  "This doesn't show up here.
    Looks like part of an old system -- it must have been sealed off years
    ago."  He bent over, peering into the darkness.
    
    "Well, judging by the coloration and condition of the bricks, the damage
    can't be much more than a few months old."  Ben ran his hands over the
    rough, exposed edges.  "But I'd say from the state of the mortar, someone
    has been passing through this opening with some regularity." 
    
    "Knock it off, Fraser.  Why do you always have to assume the worst? There's
    lots of reasons someone might have knocked out this wall. Homeless people,
    random vandalism, a construction project --"
    
    Ben went still as he turned his flashlight's beam down.  "Ray?" He reached
    up to put his hand on Ray's arm.
    
    "What?" Ray asked in alarm.  He knelt down, his clothes forgotten, and
    he saw what Ben had already seen.  "Oh, damn it to hell."  There was
    an interlaced pattern of bloodstains there.  From the patterns and color
    of the stains, he could tell that they had been made at different times,
    but all fairly recently.
    
    Ray stood and fumbled for his cell phone.  Ben also rose, saying, "I
    don't think that's going to do any good, Ray.  We're too far underground."
    Dief was still staring ahead intently, ears folded flat to his head.
    
    Angrily, Ray shoved the phone back in his coat pocket.  "So what are
    we supposed to do now?  The sane, reasonable, safe thing, or the insane,
    lunatic, incredibly dangerous thing?"  Without a word, Ben eased himself
    through the passageway, being careful not to touch the edges.  "Why do
    I even bother to ask?" Ray muttered.  With a last look behind him, he
    followed Ben.
    
    A few feet into the tunnel, Ben stopped.  Without turning around, he
    said, "Maybe you *should* go back and call for help, Ray."
    
    "Are you coming with me?"
    
    "There's still a chance Alex, or anyone else who's being held down here,
    is still alive.  By the time we get to the surface and back again, that
    might no longer be true."
    
    "Yeah.  Right.  You really think I'm gonna leave you alone down here,
    Benny?"  Dief growled.  "No offense."
    
    "Ray, it would be the logical course of action for one of us to go forward
    and the other to call for assistance."
    
    Ray snorted.  "This is the first time you ever accused me of being logical.
    Stop arguing and let's go."
    
    ********************************************************************************
    
    The tunnel seemed to go on for miles, with branches running in all directions;
    eventually, even Ben wasn't sure where they were, but he decided to keep
    that information to himself.  Each time one of them was on the verge
    of suggesting they turn back, they would come across another patch of
    blood mixed with the slime on the sewer floor.  Grimly, they kept going.
    
    Without warning, Ben reached out and grabbed Ray's shoulder.  He
    ignored the answering yelp and pulled him back against the wall, raising
    a hand in warning as Ray began to say something.
    
    "Shhh.  Listen."  Dief had stopped a few feet ahead of them, his nose
    twitching.  Abruptly, the wolf crouched, staring fixedly ahead.  Neither
    man had noticed it until then, but there was a faint glow several yards
    ahead.
    
    "What is it?" Ray hissed.
    
    Ben murmured, "Put your hand against the wall.  Do you feel the
    vibrations?"
    
    Ray did as he was told.  "Yeah.  So?  It could be anything.  Traffic
    from above, a generator somewhere up there ..." He trailed off as he
    realized what he'd just said.  "A generator."
    
    "Right.  Generators produce electricity.  And all of the victims were
    electrocuted, I believe you said.  It seems we may be about to find something."
    
    "Okay."  Ray took a deep breath and got out his gun.  He checked it over
    and looked at Ben, almost apologetically.  "Afraid I didn't bring my
    spare gun, Benny."
    
    "Well, seeing as I'm not licensed to use a gun in the United States,
    Ray, it wouldn't matter if you had."
    
    "Yeah, but it'd still make me feel a whole lot better."  Carefully, the
    three of them made their way toward the light.
    
    Gradually, the tunnel widened into a cavernous chamber.  It was filled
    with what seemed to be battered furnishings from an outdated operating
    room, and an assortment of electrical devices at whose purposes Ben and
    Ray could only guess.
    
    The room was deserted.  Dief stalked the edges of the room, still growling
    in a low, steady, menacing tone.  Cautiously, Ray walked over to one
    of the operating tables.  "Oh, God.  Look at this, Benny."
    
    Ben was at his side instantly.  He drew in a sharp breath -- the table
    was covered with fresh blood.  The two stared at each other.  "What the
    hell is going on here?" Ray demanded.  They whirled as Dief's growl changed
    pitch.  The wolf, fangs bared, was staring toward the entrance to the
    tunnel.
    
    "You take that side, and stay back, Fraser."  Ben and Ray moved to opposite
    sides of the entrance.  A man entered, looking entirely normal and harmless
    except for the blood drenching his clothes.
    
    "Freeze!  Police!" Ray shouted.  He pointed his gun at the man, who didn't
    seem to notice.
    
    "What are you doing here?  You'll jeopardize my entire experiment!" he
    exclaimed.  Ignoring Ray and his gun, he rushed over to stand
    protectively in front of his equipment.
    
    "Your *experiment*?  This is butchery!" Ben waved his arm, taking in
    the whole grisly scene.
    
    "I agree, it's regretful that lives had to be lost.  But when you consider
    the potential benefits --"
    
    "Yeah, I'm sure the people you slaughtered benefited a *whole* lot."
    Ray began edging closer.
    
    "You don't understand," the man said urgently.  "I believe I've discovered
    the secret to eternal life."
    
    Disbelievingly, Ray looked at Ben.  "Do you have any idea what he's talking
    about?"  Ben shook his head in confusion.
    
    The man ran his hands through his hair.  "Has either of you gentlemen
    read Mary Shelley's _Frankenstein_?"
    
    "Yeah.  Big green guy, bolts in his neck.  Peasants hate his guts.  What
    about him?"
    
    "Actually, Ray, that was the movie," Ben said in an undertone.  More
    loudly, he said,  "Yes.  But I don't see how anything in the book applies
    to this situation."
    
    "Well, Mary Shelley was clearly no scientist.  The reason why no one
    has ever been able to reanimate dead tissue by flooding the corpse with
    electricity is self-evident."  He looked from Ben to Ray; disappointed
    in their lack of comprehension, he continued.  "Surely you can see the
    solution?  In order for the process to be successful, the corpse to be
    reanimated must have *died* by electrocution.  That's why I had to start
    dissecting my patients, to see precisely what effect the electricity
    had on their physiological systems."
    
    "Ah, I see.  And could you tell me precisely how many times your method
    has been successful?" Ben cautiously asked.
    
    "Really.  Bringing life back to the dead is not like baking a cake. 
    It can take years for the method to be perfected."
    
    "And we're supposed to leave you down here killing people till you figure
    it out?  Sorry, Einstein.  You're under arrest."  Ray started to reach
    for the man.
    
    "NO!"  Panic-stricken, the man jerked back.  He picked up a pile of ledgers
    and threw them at the detective.  Ray ducked and slid to one knee, and
    Dief leapt forward in a blur.  The man tried to avoid the wolf, but he
    tripped and fell against one of his electrical devices.  He jerked and
    twitched as the current surged through him.  Singed and sizzling, his
    lifeless body fell to the ground.
    
    Ben crossed over to him and knelt to feel for a pulse; resigned, he stood
    up again.  Dief walked over to Ray and stuck his nose in the detective's
    face to see if he was all right.  Ray recoiled in pretended disgust.
    "Eeuuw, get away from me.  I thought you smelled bad enough wet -- down
    in the sewer, it's even worse."  Dief snorted softly, and he and Ray
    went over to join Ben.  "Dead?"
    
    "I'm afraid so."  Ben picked up one of the ledgers from the floor.  Leafing
    through it, he said, "Well, at least he kept thorough notes.  Maybe this
    will help identify some of the people he killed."
    
    "That's something, I guess."  Ray looked down at the corpse.  "So what
    do you suppose he could tell us about the afterlife?"
    
    "In his case, Ray, I think we're better off not knowing."
    
    ********************************************************************************
    
    Ben sighed heavily as he hung up the phone in the conference room.  He
    and Ray had finally gotten back to the precinct and after hours of giving
    statements, they had finally been granted permission to go home.  While
    Ray was finishing in the evidence room, Ben had taken the opportunity
    to call Mrs. Meyers.
    
    "Well, all done.  Ready to go?"  Ray stopped as he saw Ben's face. "What's
    wrong?"
    
    "I just spoke to Mrs. Meyers --" Ben started.
    
    "Oh, no.  Did they identify Alex's body?"
    
    "No.  Not the way you mean, anyway."  Ben sat down.  "He was found in
    an alley last -- no, the night before last, now.  Apparently he was mugged,
    stabbed and left for dead.  He's in a coma -- the doctor's aren't holding
    out much hope that he'll recover.  There wasn't any identification on
    him, so he was just listed as a John Doe."
    
    "Hell.  Things are back to normal, huh?"  Ray rubbed his eyes.  "Come
    on.  I'll drop you off at your place."
    
    As they were going down the stairs, Elaine came running behind them.
    "Ray!  Wait a minute!"
    
    "Elaine, can't this wait?" Ray demanded in exasperation as Elaine came
    to a halt beside them.
    
    "Sorry.  There are two FBI agents in Welsh's office.  They say they want
    to talk to you about the bodies."
    
    "No.  No way.  I'm not up to dealing with Feds right now," Ray said decisively.
    
    "Ray, perhaps you should --"
    
    "Benny, you've dealt with Agent Ford, right?  Do you feel like talking
    to him right now?"
    
    Ben paused.  "I have to say, strictly in the interest of accuracy --
    no.  Not in the slightest."
    
    "Actually, they're out-of-towners," Elaine said, but she didn't sound
    very forceful.
    
    "That's even worse.  The only thing worse than familiar Feds is strange
    Feds." Ray went on, more seriously, "Elaine, I would *really* appreciate
    it if you'd tell them that you just couldn't find us."
    
    Elaine hesitated, then smiled.  "Sure.  I guess after finding this maniac,
    you two deserve a break.  You sure, though, Ray?  The woman is pretty
    good-looking. "
    
    "At this point, Elaine, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I really
    don't care."
    
    "Thank you kindly, Elaine."  Ben smiled at Elaine, then followed Ray
    and Diefenbaker down the stairs.
    
    Elaine went back to Welsh's office, knocked, and entered.  "Excuse me,
    Lieutenant.  I'm afraid Detective Vecchio has left the building.  Shall
    I call him at home?" she added pointedly.
    
    Welsh pretended to think it over for a few seconds, and eventually just
    shook his head.  "That won't be necessary.  Is that the copy of his report?
    Thank you."
    
    As Elaine closed the door behind her, the female agent said, "So you're
    saying you consider the case closed?"  Beside her, her partner crossed
    to the window; he stood there, looking down at the street, taking no
    apparent notice of, or interest in, the conversation..
    
    Patiently, Welsh said, "Agent Scully, we have a body.  We have notes
    detailing every victim -- where they were found and how they were killed.
    We have a crime scene dripping -- literally, I might add -- with physical
    evidence."  He sat forward.  "Please enlighten me.  How does that differ
    from the FBI's definition of a closed case?"
    
    If nothing else during her time with Mulder, Scully had learned to pick
    her fights.  "I get your point, Lieutenant.  We won't take up any more
    of your time."  She picked up the manila folder Elaine had left on the
    desk.  "And thank you for the report.  Mulder?"
    
    Reluctantly, Mulder joined her at the door.  He turned back and asked,
    "Lieutenant, are you sure the report is complete?"
    
    Welsh raised an eyebrow.  "There are times when Detective Vecchio's reports
    contain details that I wish he *would* leave out."  He picked up a file
    and started reading.
    
    The two agents walked through the squad room, Scully idly leafing through
    the report.  Once they were alone, Mulder said, "Hey, Scully. Guess what
    I saw on the street?"
    
    "Oh, I don't know.  The Loch Ness Monster.  Bigfoot.  Springheel Jack."
    She wasn't happy at being dragged all the way to Chicago, but Mulder
    still didn't seem to notice.  At least this time, she wasn't going to
    have to dissect anything or anyone.
    
    Mulder shook his head happily.  "Uh-uh.  A Mountie."
    
    Scully came to a dead halt.  "What!?"
    
    "You know.  Dudley Do-Right.  Nelson Eddy.  A Mountie.  Even had a wolf
    with him."  He turned around, but his grin died as he saw Scully's astonished
    face.  "What's wrong?"
    
    "Mulder ... a Mountie was *with* Vecchio down in the sewers.  It's in
    the report."
    
    Without a word, Mulder rushed down to the street entrance, taking the
    stairs two at a time.  Scully followed more cautiously, catching up with
    him on the sidewalk outside the precinct.  Mulder was staring dejectedly
    up and down the street.
    
    "Give it up, Mulder."  Scully took his arm and guided him gently toward
    their rented car.  "Not every mutilated body has to be an X-File.  As
    Freud himself said --  Sometimes a corpse is just a corpse."
    
    ***************************************************************
    With special thanks to Elyse for the stinky Dief scene.  Regards to Peter
    (loved the story!) and Pam (still waiting to read yours!).
    


End file.
